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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 985 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) happy
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) hungry
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan was cold. (b) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) hungry
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan was angry.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Yash was bored. (c) Yash rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Maria was happy.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) tired
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is tired? (a) Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya was tired.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha was scared. (b) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran was sad. (b) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tara was hungry.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) happy
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) bored
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. cold
  3. Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  4. sad
  5. tired
  6. angry
  7. tired
  8. bored
  9. Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  10. Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  11. happy
  12. Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  13. happy
  14. tired
  15. cold
  16. showing
  17. Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  18. Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  19. bored
  20. sad
  21. Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  22. Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  23. Maria laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  24. hungry
  25. Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  26. telling
  27. Nisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  28. happy
  29. showing
  30. showing
  31. Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  32. showing
  33. showing
  34. Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  35. angry
  36. telling
  37. happy
  38. Fatima rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  39. scared
  40. scared

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